Rotary enginexexplosive t type



S. B. STEVENSON.

ROTARY ENGINEPEXPLOSIVE TYPE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. I918.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1- Inventor Samuel lisiwfenson 4 W uqiorneg s S. B.STEVENSON.

ROTARY ENG|NEEXPLOSIVE TYPE.

APPLICATION FlLED JUNEIT, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I au/enior Samuel B. Sievenson czqiiorizegs UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL B. STEVENSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY ENGINE-EXPLOSIVE TYPE.

Application filed June 17, 1918. Serial No. 240,333.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. STEVEN- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines-Explosive Type, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an internal combustion engine, andparticularly pertains to an engine of the rotary type.

It is the rincipal object of this invention to provide a rotary engineof the explosive type, which is formed with few parts, adapted toreadily operate in synchronism without the material possibility ofbinding, and which will effectively compress and explode charges of gasto produce direct rotary motion.

The present invention contemplates the use of a cylindrical casingwithin which a single rotor is positioned, said rotor being suppliedwith rotary pistons adapted to cooperate with yieldable distributingmembers to compress and explode charges of gas, and thereafter toscavenge the explosive chambers of the structure.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a view of side elevation illustrating thecompletely assembled engine with parts removed to disclose the operationthereof.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation illustrating the engine with certainparts broken so to more clearly disclose the construction of the pistonsand the yieldable ates.

Referrin more particularly to the rawings, 1O incicates an annular bodycasting forming a cylindrical shell at the opposite ends of which arebolted end castings 11 and 12. The cylindrical shell is formed with acircular opening extending entirely through it to receive an enginerotor 13.

This rotor is fixed to a horizontally disposed drive shaft 14. Theopposite ends of the drive shaft are suitably housed within bearingsformed through the opposite end castings 11 and 12, and permit freerotation of the shaft with its rotor. The outer diameter of the rotor isconsiderably less than the inner diameter of the shell 10 within whichit is concentrically mounted. This forms an annular explosive chamberbetween the rotor and the shell. The annular passage Way here referredto is divided into four explosive chambers 15, which are sepa rated bylaterally extending projections 16 upon the rotor circumference. Theseproections are substantially semi-circular in cross section and extendthe length of the rotor. They are formed as a part of the main rotorcasing and combine with cy lindrical portions thereof to form laterallyextending pockets 17. The outer face of each of the portions 16 normallybears charge of gaseous fuel within the chamber 20, and at theiropposite ends with outwardly extending rollers 21. These rollers producea partial rotation, or, in, fact. an oscillation of the pistons as theytraverse a cam groove 22 formed in the face of false end wall 23. One ofthese walls is mounted contiguous to each end of the rotor, andeffectively seals the chamber 15.

The shape of the cam groove 22 is such that during one rotation of therotor the pistons 19 will be oscillated substantially a quarter of acircle. In this manner the chamber 20 will be caused to alternatelyregister with an intake port 24 in the front side of the rotor portion16, and an explosive and exhaust port 25 in the rear side of saidmember. It will thus be seen that this cam and the rollers constitutethe entire timing mechanism of the device. The rotor is formed with endflanges along walls which extend outwardly from the circumference of therotor drum, and form flanges substantially fitting within the bore ofthe shell. These flanges, of course, are spaced apart the distancebetween the ends of the rotor, and receive the gate members betweenthem. The gate members are of two classes: Intake gas gates 27 andexhaust gas gates 28. The intake gates are disposed in sets indiametrical relation to each other,

and are mounted for substantial rotary movement in bearings at the topand bottom of the shell 10. As specially shown in Fig. 2, the gates areformed with stems 29, which are fitted with springs adapted to hold themin frictional engagement with the outer periphery of the rotor andbetween the rotor flanges. The so-called intake gates are here shown asfour in number, and are in the path of travel of the semi-circularprojection 16 of the rotor. The outer surface of these projections areformed to readily wedge beneath the ends of the gates and cause them tolift, thereafter permitting them to be reseated upon the circumferentialface of the drum. The exhaust gas gates 28 are spaced diametricallyopposite each other, and arranged at right angles to the position of thefirst named gates. These members also have spring connections, whichhold them yieldably against the rotor.

In order to properly seal the rotor against leakage of gas around itsedges, wedge shaped annular packing rings 29 are provided asspecifically shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the variousother openings which might possibly allow the escape of gas are suitablypacked by common means.

The motor under present consideration is what might be termed atwo-cycle motor, that is to say, each one of the pistons effects twoexplosions in one revolution of the rotor. This makes it necessary toclear the explosive chambers of burned gas simultaneously with theadmittance of fresh gas to the chamber. In the present instance this iseffected by intake and exhaust ports 30 and 31 through the casing. Theseports are arranged at opposite sides of the exhaust gas gates 28, theexhaust port being on the side of the gate toward which the rotor moveswhile the intake port is on the opposite side of the gate, and willsupply gas to the explosive chambers after the exhaust gas has beenforced out by the gates 28.

In the operation of the present invention the motor is assembled asparticularly dis closed in the drawings, and the intake and exhaustports upon the opposite sides of the engine casing are suitablyconnected with intake and exhaust pipes. The rotor of the engine is thenrotated in the direction of the arrow a as shown in Fig. 1. After one ofthe protruding portions 16 of the rotor has passed the gate 28, it willseal the explosive chamber formed between it and the gate, thus creatinga suction as the rotor moves to draw in a charge of explosive gas.Assuming that the preceding explosive chamber between two of theprojections 16 has been filled With gas, it will be seen that the gaswill then be compressed between the gate 27 and the projectingprotrusion 16 on the rotor. Coincident with the advance of thepiston'toward the gate 27 it will be rotated so that this chamber 20will register with the inlet port 24. This will cause the gas to passinto this chamber as it is being compressed. Immediately prior to theregistry of the piston with the gate 27 the cam roller 21 is influencedby the cam groove 22 to rotate the piston from the port 24; and towardthe port 25, and to seal it against the outer wall of the pocket 17After the piston has passed the gates 27, which recede to accommodateit, the gates are again lowered to form a barrier for the nextsucceeding charge. In synchronism with these movements the pistoncontinues to rotate until its chamber 20 is in register with the port25. In this manner the chamber will form a continuation of the explosivechamber, which exists between the rotor and the gate 27. At this instantthe spark is applied to the explosive mixture, and will cause the forceof the explosion to act between the piston and the gate 27, thusdelivering an explosive force to the rotor to cause its furtherrotation. As the gas has now been exploded, it is necessary to remove itfrom the rotor chamber. This is done as the piston and its casing passbeneath the exhaust gate 28 for this gate will form an obstructingbarrier and divert the burned gas from the chamber surrounding the motorinto the exhaust gas port from which point it will be dissipated. Thesequence of operation is then continued throughout the rotation of theengine. As there are four pistons here shown, and each piston providesfor two explosions to the revolution of the rotor, the action of theengine would be to provide a continuous torque machine, which wouldoperate to rotate its shaft without material vibration and withoutobjectionable binding of the parts involved.

It will thus be seen that the engine here disclosed, while possessing afew parts of simple design and construction, will, at the same timeproduce a machine operating in a desirable manner, and without involvinglarge expense in its construction, or in its upkeep.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as it is now knownto me, it is to be understood that various changes in the combination,construction and arrange ment of parts may be made by those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patcnt is 1. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising acylindrical casing, a cylindrical rotor upon an axis concentric with thecasing, said rotor forming an annular channel within the casing andhaving a plurality of transverse cylindrical chambers in its periphery,the outer half of said chambers projecting across the annular channeland forming a movably tight fit with the interior of the casing, andcylindrical transfer valves fitting and turnable within the chambers.

'2. In a rotary internal combustion engine, a casing with a concentricrotor forming an annular channel with the casing, a plurality oftransverse chambers on the periphery of the rotor extending across thechannel and forming tight moving joints with the casing,

cylindrical pistons fitting and rotatable within the chambers havingpockets adapted to receive charges of compressed gas, and ports throughthe sides of the chambers with which the pockets may register whenturned to discharge the compressed gas into the annular channel.

3. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising an outer casing, aconcentric rotor forming an annular channel with the casing and havingtransverse cylindrical chambers upon the periphery projecting to formtight running joints With the casmg, pistons within the chambers withcompression pockets, means to oscillate the pistons, ports formed in thechambers with which the pockets may register to discharge the compressedgas into a section of the annular channel, and slidable gates orabutments by which the channel may be closed and opened.

4:. In a rotary internal combustion engine of the character described, acasing, a rotor revoluble within the casing and forming an annularchannel within the casing, transverse cylindrical chambers upon theperiphery of the rotor, projecting into the channel and forming tightrunning joints, pistons in the chambers with compression pockets andmeans by which said pistons are oscillated, inlet and exhaust portspositioned to alternately communicate with the pockets, sliding gates orabutnients movable to open and close the annular channel with relationto the movements of the rotor and cooperating to form alternatecompression and exhaust chambers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL B. STEVENSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

